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Q&A: Help Choosing a Fancy Yellow Cushion Cut Diamond With Up to $5,000 Budget

By Mike Fried,

I am looking to buy a yellow cushion cut diamond around 0.75-1 carat in size. I have looked through multiple diamonds on James Allen but it’s hard to decide which one is the best quality for buck.
Can you help?

I’d be happy to. Can you give me your ballpark figure of what you’re planning to spend?

We are thinking of spending ~4000 for the loose diamond & another 1000 for the ring. I definitely don’t want to go above this budget and would be actually be much happier with something around 3000. I guess the main problem I am having is deciding whether to go for fancy yellow or fancy intense and even within these there is a huge range in color.

Thanks for your help!

I understand.

I found a few options for you. They have different intensities and I would like to know from you what color you like the most:
www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-modified-cut/0.70-carat-if-clarity-sku-2002531?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/fancy-color/yellow/cushion-modified-cut/0.70-carat-vs2-clarity-sku-2371982?a_aid=dmnd1357

www.leibish.com/yellow-diamonds/fancy-intense-yellow-cushion-26185#a_aid=y

The first one is obviously the best value here. However, if I was after the nicest color possible, I’d go with the second or third one. The last one (from Leibish) is 0.60ct, but if you compare the size with the JA ones, the length is pretty much the same, which means that they will look very similar.

For comparison’s sake, here is a diamond that is 0.08 ct more, yet the actual measurements are smaller.
www.leibish.com/yellow-diamonds/fancy-intense-yellow-cushion-16998#a_aid=y

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